Zidane hoping for third time lucky

Zinedine Zidane is desperately hoping it is third time lucky on Wednesday night. It will be the French midfield player's third UEFA Champions League final and, after two defeats, one of the world's greatest midfielders is yearning for the ultimate prize in European club football.

World and European championDespite winning a FIFA World Cup and the UEFA European Championship with France, Zidane has come up just short in the Champions League and he does not see his Real Madrid CF side winning at a stroll against Bayer 04 Leverkusen on Wednesday.

'To win is my only thought'"To win in Glasgow is my only thought," Zidane said. "I have already lost the two other finals that I played [for Juventus FC against Borussia Dortmund in 1997 and his current side in 1998] and it was too much. I desire to win, the same as all my team-mates, and furthermore, this is the only title we can win this year."

'Everything will be equal'Zidane, however, is taking nothing for granted. "For Bayer to have reached the final it is because they deserve it. It is going to be a very open final and I think that both teams have a 50 per cent chance to win," he said. "According to history," Zidane said, "Real Madrid are superior, but on the field there will be two teams trying to win so everything will be equal.”

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